Hi! I’m looking for book recommendations with a very specific type of MMC, and I’m hoping someone can help me track down a particular vibe.
I recently read Better Than the Movies by Lynn Painter (and its sequel). While the sequel didn’t quite hit the same for me, I absolutely loved BTTM. Liz was an enjoyable FMC, but Wes Bennett is what really made the book stand out compared to other rom-coms I’ve read.
I’ve been trying to figure out exactly why he worked so well for me, so I’m just listing some of the specific traits and dynamics I loved in the hopes of finding similar MMCs:
- He’s genuinely caring, emotionally attentive, easily affectionate with the FMC in sweet ways. There’s a moment where he internally chastises himself for using an overly sweet voice with Liz after she’s been upset, and that scene completely sold me on his character.
- He’s a yearner (not a word I know but i'm using it), but not in a passive or confused way. He understands his feelings, knows what he wants, and actively chooses to pursue it instead of spending the entire book wrestling with denial.
- Related to that, his maturity really stood out to me. A lot of MMCs spend most of the story struggling to recognize or reconcile their growing feelings, but Wes comes across as emotionally self-aware and decisive in a way that felt refreshing.
- We get substantial on-page interaction between the MCs. There isn’t endless internal pining paired with minimal contact. The pacing and proximity between them felt natural and satisfying.
- He doesn’t fall into the typical student-athlete trope – there's no playboy energy, no casual disrespect toward women amongst him or his friends, he's also not just a golden retriever himbo type.
- He balances playful, teasing energy with moments of real seriousness and emotional presence. He can joke, provoke, and banter, but is in tune enough with Liz that he's not overly insensitive.
- He’s a self-confessed “simp,” but in a healthy way. He has his own friends, interests, and life outside the FMC, so he hasn't spent their whole lives sitting home obsessing over LIz.
- He shows possessiveness and jealousy, but it never tips into toxic territory. Also he's clearly affected by Liz pursuing Michael but gives it a good go to help her get what she wants despite his feelings.
- The teasing, flirty banter is a major highlight. I loved how he actively tries to rile Liz up and offend her sensibilities for fun, and how that dynamic draws out both their old and new selves.
- Their presence genuinely shifts each other. They don’t just fall in love; they noticeably affect one another’s emotional states and growth.
Basically, I’m trying to cure my Better Than the Movies book hangover and find more MMCs with strong Wes Bennett energy.
Caveat: I’ve read a lot of the standard recommended titles, including all of Ann Liang’s books (side note: I love her MMCs too because they have something of that Wes vibe). I’ve also read This Will End Badly and Love Off the Record (Three and Gabriel), which fall into a similar hyper-specific MMC category I’m craving more of. So honestly just throw all possible recs at me. Doesn’t have to be YA or clean romance — I’m open to anything that hits the energy above.
Any recommendations would be very appreciated, thanks for reading this mini thesis lol!
by Warm_Extreme4330